Oesper Collection Highlights: Honoring Women Chemists – Marie Meurdrac (17th c.)

The Oesper Collections and Museum in the History of Chemistry at the University of Cincinnati is pleased to present a new blog series, Oesper Collection Highlights.  We will feature items from our amazing collections of rare books, prints and portraits, and online collections that inspire and educate all.  We thank our student intern, Brenna Kobes, for researching and preparing these posts.  If you have questions about the Oesper Collections and Museum, please contact Ted Baldwin, Ted.Baldwin@uc.edu, Director of the UC Science and Engineering Libraries. 

Oesper Collection Highlights for March 2022 recognize Women’s History Month and the contributions of women to chemistry over the centuries.  We aim to raise awareness and celebration for their accomplishments.
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3/15/22 Celebration for Oesper Museum – ACS National Historic Chemical Landmark

The Oesper Museum & Collections in the History of Chemistry (502 Rieveschl Hall, University of Cincinnati’s main campus) invites you to a celebration and open house starting at 7:00pm on Tuesday, March 15.  The Museum & Collections will be designated as a National Historical Chemical Landmark by the American Chemical Society (ACS).  More event details in the invitation graphic below.  Please RSVP at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/63BJC22 and share with others.  The public is welcome.

Oesper Museum Celebration Graphic

Program details for March 15 Oesper Museum celebration

The Oesper Museum & Collections are a unique and hidden treasure.  They showcase and document the history of chemistry in many ways: historic chemical apparatus museum, replica 1900 chemical laboratory, prints and portraits collection, and a library/rare books collection.  The Museum & Collections are a partnership of the UC Chemistry Department and UC Libraries.  Read more and view virtual displays from the chemical apparatus museum: https://digital.libraries.uc.edu/oesper/museum/displays.html and https://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/citywiseblog/cincy-obscura-the-oesper-collection/ .

We are thrilled to welcome you to the Oesper Museum & Collections.  Contact Ted Baldwin (Director, UC Science & Engineering Libraries) with questions,  Ted.Baldwin@uc.edu .

 

Ca. 1900 replica laboratory

Oesper Library Collections (history of chemistry)

Oesper Library Collections (history of chemistry)

New science e-journals

UC now has access to the many new e-journal titles, thanks to our OhioLINK statewide licenses. If you have questions, please contact Chemistry & Biology Ask-A-Librarian. Visit the Ralph E. Oesper Chemistry-Biology Library website to search for other e-journals.

Here are the newly available e-journals for chemistry.

Cover of Microscopy TodayMicroscopy Today

Microscopy Today (MTO) provides information of interest to microscopists working in all fields. Coverage spans all microscopy methods including development and applications in light microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, electron microscopy, ion-beam techniques, and a wide range of microanalytical methods. 

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Help with Software: ChemDraw, Gaussian, Spartan, MestreNova

The Chemistry-Biology Library Info Commons includes a number of specialized software applications at each workstation, for drawing chemical structures, molecular modelling, as well as data analysis.  Specifically, the software suite includes Chemdraw Prime, Gaussian/Gaussian View, Spartan, MestreNova, Mathematica, and UnscramblerX.

ChemBio Library softwareTo help you use this software, Chem-Bio Library Graduate Assistant Dylan Shields maintains guides with basic information and helpful tutorials for these programs: http://guides.libraries.uc.edu/chembio-software.

For in-person help, please see Dylan during his usual working hours: Mon 9-1, Tue 11-3, Wed 9-1.

Oesper Collections Attract International Scholars

(Contributed by Dr. William Jensen, Curator of the Oesper Collections in the History of Chemistry)

As the global reputation of the Oesper Collections in the History of Chemistry continues to grow, these special collections are attracting the attention of more and more international scholars.

Starting in January 2013, Professor José Chamizo of the University of Mexico spent three months of his sabbatical  working in the collections and  returned once more in  June for another two weeks. While at Cincinnati his research focused on the role of instrumentation in initiating chemical revolutions and on the life and work of the 19th-century Mexican chemist, José Ortigiosa.

Detailed image from the Splendor Solis manuscript

Detailed image from the Splendor Solis manuscript

Detailed image from the Splendor Solis manuscript

Detailed image from the Splendor Solis manuscript

In late June, the Oesper collections were also visited by Dr. Eberhard Slenczka, former Director of Libraries for the Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremburg, who came to examine our facsimile of the 16th century alchemical manuscript known as the Splendor Solis in order to make comparisons with the copies found in Nuremburg, Paris, London and Spain.

Please direct questions regarding access and use of the Oesper collections to  Professor William B. Jensen or Ted Baldwin, Director of Science and Engineering Libraries.